Slipped Away
by Dark Waffle
Summary: Where bitter decisions leave grim consequences. Spoilers for Post Fairy Tail 425.


**A/N: So I wrote this after seeing a post on Tumblr talking about Lucy and Juvia fighting at the same time Gray is fighting Natsu after Natsu becomes END. I don't know if that makes much sense to you, but hopefully it will after you read this! I hope you enjoy it!**

**I don't own _Fairy Tail!_**

"Speech"  
_'Thoughts'_  
_"Dreams/Flashbacks"_

**_Slipped Away_**

**_-O-_**

There was a loud screech that encased the entirety of the battlefield. A powerful gust of air threw all those standing to the ground as a bright red light replaced the blue sky up above. Her body ached with wounds and broken bones as she hauled herself up, trying to see through the dust that hung over like a dark cloud.

She could only make out certain figures around her. Erza and Wendy were fighting off Zeref's demons at her side only moments ago before the sky was painted in a flashing red. When the dust settled and the light lessened, she could see Erza staring forward with an incredulous and astonished look in her eyes. Wendy had her hands covering her mouth, tears brimming at her eyes.

Lucy Heartfilia followed there gazes and gasped, her heart dropping to the bottom of her stomach.

There, in front of her, stood what once was her best friend: Natsu Dragneel.

"It seems that Natsu has made his choice."

Lucy shivered in fear as she could hear Zeref's melancholic voice ring in her ears. The blonde turned slightly, and behind her stood Zeref, the king of dark magic. She was so paralyzed in fear that she couldn't move.

"What are you saying?!" Lucy then recognized Gray's voice, his eyes screaming with anger.

"Don't you see it, Fairy Tail?" Zeref's soft voice spoke as he stared at the rosette. "Natsu Dragneel is my most powerful and feared creation."

At that moment, Lucy could feel her heart drop to the pit of her stomach as she tried to process the words that came from the almighty Zeref. The blonde mage turned slowly, her eyes gazing painfully at her best friend, whose eyes glinted blood red and his body dripped in darkness.

"_No_." She whispered as tears pricked at her eyes.

"Are- Are you saying that Natsu is-" Erza began to speak, but the king of dark magic cut her off as his eyes flashed red.

"E.N.D."

Lucy felt her body fall under her as those dreaded words left Zeref's lips. Erza, Wendy, Gray, and Juvia all looked as equally surprised as she did, their eyes filled with disbelief. It was incredulous, she thought to herself as gripped the dirt floor.

How could carefree, happy, go lucky, obnoxious Natsu Dragneel be E.N.D? How could someone as kind, as goofy, as caring, as protective as Natsu be Zeref's greatest and most powerful demon? It made no sense to Lucy. All the blonde could see were the happy memories and their greatest adventures in her mind. Her, Natsu, and Happy. The original Team Natsu.

"Natsu…" The blonde haired mage could hear Happy cry with a sob as he flew above the collapsed celestial wizard.

"I don't believe you." Lucy whispered.

"Lucy? What are you saying?" She could hear Gray asking harshly, his fist clenched.

"Natsu is not E.N.D." She picked herself up and glared at the king of dark magic while clutching her arm that was gushing blood.

"But he is. Natsu is the only one who can defeat me. Because he is my greatest and most powerful demon."

"_No!_" Lucy shouted, the tears streaming down her eyes.

"Etherious Natsu Dragneel." Zeref stated with his dark, red eyes as a glare settled on his face. "He will destroy me. And afterwards, annihilate this world of its existence."

"Natsu wouldn't do that!" The blonde shouted, an image of a grinning fire dragon slayer embedded in her mind. "Natsu loves his friends, loves this world! He wouldn't destroy the thing he cherishes!"

"Foolish girl." Zeref said as he stretched out his hands in front of him. Lucy could hear Erza and Gray yelling in the background.

"Lucy! Get away from there!" Gray's voice was what she last heard before a pulse of magic threw her back.

"Kyaa!" She yelled as she landed roughly on the torn battlefield. She could feel the bones in her body ache in agony. Her star dress attire was in complete ruins as the power of the lion slipped from her.

In a flash, Gray appeared next to her, and pulled her away from the dark mage. While he was running, Lucy stared in fear as Natsu stood, his body transformed.

He was covered in marks, his eyes flowing red. His human hands, now fiendish claws that were dipped in darkness and his teeth baring fangs. The black marks covering his body turned his flesh to dragon scales and his rosette hair was standing on its tips, looking as if they could penetrate you.

This _wasn't _Natsu Dragneel.

This w_asn't _her best friend.

This w_asn't _the man who brought her to Fairy Tail, who brought her _home_.

"Come, my greatest creation. It is time to erase the pitiful existence of this world." Zeref's words rang throughout the air, making Natsu screech, a dragon like roar escaping from the lungs of the dragon slayer.

"Why? Why did this happen?" Wendy was sobbing on her knees, Charle next to her.

Erza was staring at her surrogate brother in disbelief, her eyes searching for an answer. Lucy could see her trembling at the sight of him, her mighty blade shaking at the helm of her palm.

Juvia was standing next to Gray, looking mortified at the newly transformed Natsu. She, just as everyone else in the battlefield, was bloodied, broken, exhausted.

But when Lucy's eyes landed on Gray's, she felt her heart crushing in her chest. He was glaring fiercely at the rosette. His fist was clenched, the markings on his arm encompassing his body, meaning he was activating his ice demon slayer magic.

Lucy's eyes went wide, realization hitting her.

Gray's heart was set on destroying E.N.D.

Gray wanted to avenge his father, his mother.

His only goal was to destroy E.N.D.

Which meant Gray was going to kill Natsu.

"Gray. You can't." Lucy said, her voice weak and frail. Exhaustion was overtaking her.

"I swore on my father's life I would destroy E.N.D." His voice was dangerous, the glare and malice not leaving his dark eyes. The marks continued spreading around his body.

"Even if it is Natsu."

"No! There has to be another way!" Lucy shouted as the ice began to form around the raven haired mage's fist. The air chilled and so did the celestial mage's spine.

"There is no other way."

"He is our _nakama!_" Lucy shouted, tears falling form her eyes. "Natsu didn't give up on you when you joined Avatar! Even when you were on the wrong side! He fought his _hardest _to get you back! He didn't _give up on you!_"

The ice mage clenched his fist in his hand, his eyes hidden in his hair.

"I'm sorry, Lucy."

With that, Gray rushed forward, sprinting towards the newly transformed Natsu Dragneel.

"GRAY!" The blonde shouted, gritting her teeth as pain shot through her body.

She watched in horror as the two friends collided, Gray slicing at Natsu with some form of his new ice demon slayer magic. The rosette stumbled back, roaring in pain. The dark haired mage didn't stop there. He rushed back towards the pinkette, attacking him consistently. Natsu could barely get an attack in with the barrage of attacks Gray attacked him with.

"No, there has to be another way." Standing up with determination, Lucy took out Loke's key, shouting "Gate of the Lion! I open thee!"

Loke appeared in a bright light. "Lucy! You can't summon me again! You're out of magic!" The orange haired celestial being immediately went towards the blonde's side, worry washed over his handsome face.

She shook her head, pushing his helping hand away. "Star Dress! Loke Form!"

Lucy's body filled with magic, light encompassing her body. She had enough magic to stop this battle, the blonde thought. And she had to use her strongest spirit's form, even if it was taxing to her body.

"Come on, Loke. We need to stop them!" Fairy Tail's sole celestial spirit mage shouted as she began to run towards the battle of the century.

But as Lucy neared the battlefield, Juvia jumped in front, her eyes melancholic and regretful.

The blonde's eyes went wide.

"Juvia! What are you doing?!" Lucy asked in astonishment. Loke was stumped behind her. Natsu and Gray continued to fight, their powerful magic eradicating the battlefield.

"Juvia cannot allow Love Rival to continue forward." She stated with much guilt coating her voice.

Lucy stood stumped, trying to figure out why the hell Juvia was _stopping her from preventing their friends from killing each other!_

"Do you see what is going on behind you, Juvia? Gray is going to _kill _Natsu! We have to stop Gray and find another way to stop him!" Lucy tried reasoning, but Juvia did not seem to care.

"Gray-sama's goal is to destroy E.N.D. And Juvia will aid Gray-sama in his goal." The water mage stated, water beginning to form around the hands of the blue haired woman.

"Even if it means having to stop you."

Lucy couldn't believe this was happening. When did comrades turn on comrades?! Did Gray's hatred for E.N.D. cloud his reasoning and make him forget what was at stake here? Did Juvia's love for Gray blind her judgement? Her voice of reasoning?

They were _family!_

But as Juvia created a wall of water, separating themselves from the battle between Natsu and Gray, it made it all clear to Lucy.

Even this family turned their backs on each other.

Lucy had no choice but to fight.

With remorseful eyes, Lucy empowered herself with a bright aura, Loke's light magic intensifying around her and him.

"Close, gate of the lion." She stated, Loke's eyes widening in surprise.

"Lucy! What are you think-" but he was cut off as he vanished back into the spirit world.

This was a battle she had to fight alone.

"I don't want to fight with you, Juvia." With melancholy ringing in her voice, Lucy placed Loke's key back on her key ring, preparing herself for a sorrowful battle with one of her closest friends.

How did it resort to this? Fairy Tail guild members fighting against one another?

"But I need to help Natsu and stop Gray."

With those words leaving her lips, both Fairy Tail ladies charged at each other, Juvia throwing a tidal wave of water towards Lucy while Lucy created a barrier of light to prevent drowning.

And as Lucy and Juvia clashed, Natsu and Gray locked arms, fire versus ice, striking one another with their most fierce attacks.

As Wendy broke into tears and Erza was surrounded by more of the demons from hell, Zeref smiled, watching as the humans picked each other apart, knowing that Etherious Natsu Dragneel was soon to lay to waste with Fairy Tail, then vanquish the world of it's sin.

**A/N: So quick and short. This is just something I wrote just to write. I hope it wasn't too OOC. But we must let the angst ensue! Because who doesn't love a little angst, eh? ;D**

**I hope you all enjoyed! _Fallen Star _is in the works along with my other one shot, _Airplanes &amp; Shooting Stars! _Keep an eye out for those! Let me know what you think! Reviews, criticisms, comments, concerns are all encouraged! **

**Until next time!  
\- Dark Waffle**


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